barbara ruth

Barbara Ruth is devastated over the results of the US election and dedicated to resistance in many more than 8 ways. Some involve technology. All involve love of this achingly beautiful planet. Please find your ways to creatively join with others in defending the future of life on planet Earth.

eight ways of being disabled in love

Originally published in QDA: A Queer Disability AnthologyReprinted with the author’s permission

1.

When we canI pressmy back to her bellyshe spoons mewhen we canthen she turns on her backand we readjust the pillowsour hands find each othersay what they want.

The hospital bed positioned at last,lips, tongue reacquainthearts raceneck muscles tensepain and desirebattle it out

4.

Saturday morningphone ringsa friend asks, "What are you doing?""Lollygagging," I tell her,"We've been at it for hours."

We're such fine lollygaggerswe push/pull ourselves upgo the bathroom, brush teethcrawl back under the coversMy darling declares, "We need to get out more.""Where would we go?""Demonstrations."We chant our demands to the walls,provocateurs of the hospital bed.

We nuzzlegrab the trapezegingerly turn to the centersmoochy Saturdaystretchesand smiles

5.

So carefulnot to put weighton a leg, a footso liable to spasmnot careful enough

6.

Sex on the dvdthey make it look effortlessthey never look like us."They're actors," I scoff,remembering when I could move like that.She has no 'before disability' memories.Ah, but when we courtedwhen we did lines of honeymoon hour after hourdark chocolate memoriesmake us laughragecry